Marine apparatus having telescopic legs

Claim 2

Marine apparatus comprising a. a platform, b. a plurality of telescopic legs for supporting said platform, each leg including an inner section slidably mounted within an outer section, c. guide means on said platform mounting each outer section for substantially vertical movement in either direction relative to said platform, d. a frame member attached to the lowe ends of each outer section, e. locking means carried by one of said sections and releasably engageable with the other section for restraining relative, substantially vertical movement therebetween in either direction, and f. jacking mechanism mounted solely on said platform and including vertically spaced and relatively vertically movable upper and lower holding means selectively engageable with said outer section and with said inner section for selectively effecting or restraining relative, substantially vertical movement in either direction between said platform and said sections and between said sections.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a mat attached to the lower ends of each inner section.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said mat is divided by bulkheads into buoyant and non-buoyant compartments.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said frame member includes a buoyant compartment.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said inner sections includes a pair of vertically spaced bulkheads to provide a buoyant chamber therein.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said upper and lower holding means comprise pin means for releasably engaging substantially horizontal, vertically spaced surfaces on said sections.

Claim 8

The apparauts of claim 6 wherein said platform includes an upper and lower deck, said guide means comprises an opening extending through said platform, said lower handling means is positioned below said upper deck, and said upper holding means is positioned above said upper deck.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the locking means is carried by the upper end of said inner section.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the locking means comprises a plurality of horizontally spaced locking pins mounted within and extending through said inner section for releasably engaging substantially horizontal, vertically spaced surfaces on said outer section.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein each of said locking pins are pivotally connected to a connecting rod which is pivotally connected to a spoke member means to rotate said spoke member about a vertical axis to effect substantially horizontal movement of said locking pins.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each outer section includes two inwardly extending first bearing members secured to the inner surface of each outer section for engagement with two outwardly extending second bearing members secured to the outer surface of each inner section to provide lateral stability to said leg when said leg is supporting said platform.

Claim 13

Marine apparatus comprising a. a platform, b. a plurality of substantially vertically extending telescopic legs for supporting said platform, each leg including an inner section slidably mounted within an outer section, c. locking means carried by one of said sections and releasably engageable with the other section for restraining relative, substantially vertical movement therebetween in either direction, d. a frame member attached to the lower ends of each outer section, and e. jacking mechanism mounted solely on said platform including vertically spaced and relatively vertically movable upper and lower holding means selectively engageable with said outer section and with said inner section through openings in said outer section and power-actuated means for effecting relative vertical movement in either direction between said upper and lower holding means for selectively effecting or restraining relative, substantially vertical movement in either direction between said platform and said sections and between said sections.

Claim 14

Marine apparatus comprising a. a platform, b. a plurality of substantially vertically extending telescopic legs for supporting said platform, each leg including an inner section slidably mounted within an outer section, c. locking means carried by one of said sections and releasably engageable with the other section for restraining relative, substantially vertical movement therebetween in either direction, d. a frame member attached to the lower ends of each outer section, and e. jacking mechanism mounted solely on said platform including vertically spaced and relatively vertically movable upper and lower holding means selectively engageable with said outer section and with said inner section through openings in said outer section and power-actuated means for effecting relative vertical movement in either direction between said upper and lower holding means for selectively effecting or restraining relative, substantially vertical movement in either direction between said platform and said sections and between said sections.

Claim 15

In a marine apparatus including a platform and a plurality of telescopic legs for supporting said platform, each of said legs including an inner section slidably mounted within an outer section, the improvement comprising a. a jacking mechanism mounted solely on said platform for selectively effecting or restraining relative, substantially vertical movement in either direction between said platform and said sections and between said sections and including upper and lower holding means, b. power actuated means for effecting relative vertical movement in either direction between said upper and lower holding means, and c. openings in said outer section to allow said upper and lower holding means to pass therethrough and engage said inner section to effect substantially vertical movement of said inner section within said outer section.

Claim 16

In a marine apparatus including a platform and a plurality of telescopic legs for supporting said platform, each of said legs including an inner section slidably mounted within an outer section, the improvement comprising a. a jacking mechanism mounted solely on said platform for selectively effecting or restraining relative, substantially vertical movement in either direction between said platform and said sections and between said sections and including upper and lower holding means, b. power actuated means for effecting relative vertical movement in either direction between said upper and lower holding means, and c. openings in said outer section to allow said upper and lower holding means to pass therethrough and engage said inner section to effect substantially vertical movement of said inner section within said outer section.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising locking means carried by one of said sections and releasably engageable with the other section for restraining relative substantially vertical movement therebetween in either direction.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein one of said upper and lower holding means is vertically fixed relative to the platform and the other of said upper and lower holding means is verticaly movable relative to the platform.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein a portion of said openings of subparagraph (c) for said other of said upper and lower holding means are elongated slots.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein a frame member is attached to the lower ends of each outer section.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein a mat is attached to the lower ends of each inner section.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said mat is divided by bulkheads into buoyant and non-buoyant compartments.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said frame member includes a buoyant compartment therein.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 20 wherein each of said inner sections includes a pair of vertically spaced transverse bulkheads which provide a buoyant chamber therein.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein each outer section includes an inwardly extending first bearing member secured to the inner surface of said outer section for engagement with an outwardly extending second bearing member secured to the outer surface of said inner section to provide lateral stability to said leg when said leg is supporting said platform.

Claim 26

In a marine apparatus including a platform and a plurality of telescopic legs for supporting said platfrom, each of said legs including at least one inner section slidably mounted within an outer section, the improvement comprising a. a jacking mechanism mounted solely on said platform for selectively effecting or restraining relative, substantially vertical movement in either direction between said platform and said sections and between said sections and including upper and lower holding means, b. said lower holding means vertically fixed relative to said platform and said upper holding means vertically movable relative to said platform, c. power actuated means for effecting vertical movement of siad upper holding means, d. first elongated openings in said outer section to allow said upper holding means to pass through said outer section, engage said inner section when said leg is in a retracted position and effect movement of said inner section relative to said outer section, and e. second openings in said outer section to allow said lower holding means to pass through said outer section and engage said inner section.

Claim 27

In a marine apparatus including a platform and a plurality of telescopic legs for supporting said platfrom, each of said legs including at least one inner section slidably mounted within an outer section, the improvement comprising a. a jacking mechanism mounted solely on said platform for selectively effecting or restraining relative, substantially vertical movement in either direction between said platform and said sections and between said sections and including upper and lower holding means, b. said lower holding means vertically fixed relative to said platform and said upper holding means vertically movable relative to said platform, c. power actuated means for effecting vertical movement of siad upper holding means, d. first elongated openings in said outer section to allow said upper holding means to pass through said outer section, engage said inner section when said leg is in a retracted position and effect movement of said inner section relative to said outer section, and e. second openings in said outer section to allow said lower holding means to pass through said outer section and engage said inner section.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 23 wherein a frame member is attached to the lower ends of each outer section.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein each outer section includes two inwardly extending first bearing member secured to the inner surface of each outer section for engagement with two outwardly extending bearing members secured to the outer surface of each inner section.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 25 further comprising locking means carried by one of said sections and releasably engageable with the other section for restraining relative, substantially vertical movement therebetween in either direction.